Audio: Cruise captain pleaded not to reboard ship

Comments

Fine then. If you want to judge the man, go right ahead.
All I'm saying is that I'm not. I don't really think others have a place to
criticism me for saying so.

And as far as reason goes, not casting
the first stone is a technically a rational argument. I stated that while I can
easily imagine the average person being afraid and doing the wrong thing, that I
can't see myself wishing for a prison sentence. It might be wrong to make fun of
the way someone looks, but it doesn't mean you put them in prison. This guy
didn't help others out of fear for his own life. While I wouldn't call that the
most noble thing in the world, even something that is morally wrong- I don't
think it's just to put him in prison for 12 years. Maybe people think I'm
extreme for not joining in on the cries for jailing him- but by all means I am
using a rational argument, even one of the oldest and most famous comparisons we
have a record of. Based on your screen name I hope you will now see the due
credit my rational deserves.

CougarBlueHeber City, UT

Jan. 18, 2012 12:46 p.m.

A Voice of Reason: Your response was more equivocation than reasoning. No
matter what the sentence he cannot bring back the people. He signed on to be
the captain and it was his responsibility to ensure as many passengers were able
to get off before he ordered all hands to get off the ship. I have never heard
of a fire chief leaving a building before he made sure all of his firefighters
were out of the building. If the Captain wants to play with the big boys then
he needs to act like a big boy and do the job he was hired to do.

ShawnM750: I believe he was steering the ship close to shore to satisfy a
crew member who lived near the ocean. I believe that crew member was on board.

Shawnm750West Jordan, UT

Jan. 18, 2012 11:25 a.m.

I don't believe the captain has to go down with the ship, but he should have
stayed. With regard to A Voice of Reason's comment: soldiers, firefighters,
police officers, etc. all go through extensive training so that they don't panic
under pressure. The same goes for ship captains. All these professionals are
entrusted with ensuring others' safety, BEFORE their own. It's a responsibility
they all accept, to which almost all of them swear an oath. True, at the end of
the day we're all human, and can't always get past natural instinct. But he's
the one that piloted the ship into a reef to waive at a waiter, putting
passengers and crew in harms way, and ultimately costing some of them their
lives. Then he refused to go back aboard and do everything he could to make sure
everyone was off the boat, and help rescue crews coordinate their efforts.

This was a tragedy, but it's one he caused, and I believe he should pay
for it with prison time.

LyleSpringville, UT

Jan. 18, 2012 12:22 a.m.

The irony is that the ship did not completely sink. The captain could have
stayed aboard. He might just as well still be sitting somewhere above water,
having people supply him with cheeseburgers so he could remain in possession of
the ship. Would fewer people have been lost if he had ordered all the passengers
to the lifeboats as soon as it was torn open? No way to know for sure.

ChristyBeaverton, OR

Jan. 17, 2012 11:47 p.m.

What's not 'cut and dry' about this story? The Captain deviated off course in
order to literally show boat, the $400 million ship ran aground, took on water
and sank, 30 people drowned, and he abandoned ship.

He is a coward
who deserves to go to prison. For a long, long time.

JimMesa, Az

Jan. 17, 2012 8:20 p.m.

It is easy to make armchair quarterback comments, when we weren't there or know
the full facts. The idea of the Captain going down with the ship originated
with the Insurance comapanies in that if the Captain was still there, salvage
was not cut and dry. I feel sorry for the loss of life. The Captain will have
to live with those ghosts for a very long time.

A voice of ReasonSalt Lake City, UT

Jan. 17, 2012 8:15 p.m.

ulvegaard,

I agree.

What I really want is that we aren't
trying to destroy more lives. We should be trying to make the most good we can
to come from this.

I knew someone once who killed someone. It was all
over the headlines. I had never known anyone who had done something so horrible.
After seeing the animosity towards this person I was deeply affected by this. I
realized that people shouting "hang them!", "throw away the
key" etc. was a problem. Even though they did something so wrong, I didn't
hate them. I still cared about them. I desire justice. Not all outcry for
justice is hateful. But regarding the messages of hate that were published- I
thought 'how can we add so much hate to something already so horrible?'

I'm support accountability and responsibility, but this captain will already
suffer enough without our involvement. If everyone hating him does anything at
all, it gives him reason to live in denial and resist public outrage as people
usually resist negative attention to themselves. If we hated less, I don't doubt
he'd feel a deeper desire to try to do right about this and in the future.

HutteriteAmerican Fork, UT

Jan. 17, 2012 7:07 p.m.

This guy bailed. I'm glad there is a recording of the coast guard communication.
Every time I get on a plane, I hope for a 'captain sully'. A guy who does his
best to stay out of trouble, and what to do when it arrives. If I ever go on a
cruise, or even a small ferry, I hope for the maritime equivalent of a sully.

ulvegaardMedical Lake, Washington

Jan. 17, 2012 6:48 p.m.

When such tragic events occur, it is at least inspiring to hear of heroic tales
surrounding the incident. I hope some might yet come out of this tale.

Words of wisdom have been spoken here. "Prison" should provide some
sort of rehabilitation and such would not be the case in this situation. Even
so, there should be some 'restitution' made, and not necessarily money.
Consider this, the captain may never be able to forgive himself. For his sake,
he needs to offer some penance so that he can fill that he has paid a price that
will enable him to continue on in life.

I'm not talking about our
revenge against him, but his offering in return, otherwise he may well become
suicidal and that too would be a tragedy.

A voice of ReasonSalt Lake City, UT

Jan. 17, 2012 5:52 p.m.

Californian#1@94131,

You stated, "Yeah, the poor guy was
petrified. Who wouldnt be? But anyone whos sailed long enough to be a captain
knows the rules and traditions of maritime operations. We could make similar
arguments for cops, firefighters, or soldiers, who are mostly younger with fewer
years of experience. What if they all shrank from their duty from fear?"

---

I agree. There is a clear problem there. I'm only saying
that I don't feel right telling a soldier, cop, or firefighter who panicked that
he has to go to prison for 12 years now. I believe in God. I believe God judges
us by our intent as well as our actions. All I'm saying is that when someone is
placed in this situation, unless they had ill-intentions, I don't know that I'd
be so quick to judge them the way the masses usually do.

I would
certainly never let the guy have a responsible position again. I'm not saying
he'd have to sweep cruise liner halls the rest of his life, but I'd rather place
him in a more appropriate position- that's effective thinking. Prison time where
rehabilitation isn't necessary is ineffective, probably even wrong.

Californian#1@94131San Francisco, CA

Jan. 17, 2012 4:12 p.m.

Yeah, the poor guy was petrified. Who wouldnt be? But anyone whos sailed long
enough to be a captain knows the rules and traditions of maritime operations. We
could make similar arguments for cops, firefighters, or soldiers, who are mostly
younger with fewer years of experience. What if they all shrank from their duty
from fear?

When I was very small, another Italian liner sank after a
collision at sea. The captain of the Andrea Doria was another veteran mariner,
Pietro Calamai. He and a few officers remained until everyone else was safely
aboard the less damaged Stockholm or rescue ships. He wanted to surrender his
vessel only to the Coast Guard, even refusing his officers pleas to abandon
ship. They prevailed by refusing to leave him behind, then gave him the respect
of letting him be the last off. The tragedy affected him so much that he never
went to sea again.

The Titanics master also never sailed again;
Edward Smith perished with 1500 people whose lives had been in his hands.

Im sorry for Francesco Schettino, for the unhappy footnote that his
descendants will forever see by his name in maritime history record.

willowSalt Lake City, UT

Jan. 17, 2012 2:59 p.m.

He is a coward and should certainly have consequences to his actions. He
deviated from the course and would not respond to commands.

awsomeronWaianae, HI

Jan. 17, 2012 2:58 p.m.

That is a great photo. This ship is still young a ships go but I would think it
would be totaled.

Damages should be paid just like if an Aircraft
crashed, only less people where killed and it was Not in Deep Water. I will
assume that a lot of I.D.'s,Passports and Wallets, Credit Cards and and such
where lost. Lets Not forget the Casino Cash.

I am sorry for the loss
of lives.

Crimes where committed and we punish that in our society
with Prison Time, the Time depending on the Crime weighed with what happened.
That is why we have a Trail Phase and a Sentence Phase. We also in many cases
have minimums to keep money from buying freedom after a conviction.

I
like "A Voice of Reason" would not want to be on the jury.

If people died because they went back into get stuff then that is not the
Captains Fault.

On the other hand I am in the Pool and the Ship
starts sinking, I want my Wallet my, Passport and Life Partner be assured I am
going back in.

The ship is not supposed to sink.

anti-liarSalt Lake City, UT

Jan. 17, 2012 1:47 p.m.

The sight of that ship positioned at that angle is absolutely sickening.

Sorry for the poor souls who drowned.

God bless the brave
divers going into that hellish thing to look for the missing.

A voice of ReasonSalt Lake City, UT

Jan. 17, 2012 1:40 p.m.

These things aren't so cut and dry to me. While I agree that his responsibility
was to the crew he's agreed to protect as best he can- I also very strongly
believe that prison should primarily be used to rehabilitate. Does 12 years
bring any lives back? No. Does it solve anything needing solving? No. Is it a
means of making him pay for the consequences of his actions? Yes.

While he acted in a way that was wrong, he didn't intentionally harm people.
He acted in his own interest only. While I despise this idea, I don't know that
I feel justified in severely punishing a man for what I think many others would
have done in his place.

If it were as easy as saying "He agreed
to the responsibility when he took the job" then I'd understand completely.
But where I'm not so sure that everyone fully comprehends the responsibility
they accept, again I'm just not sure how to react.

I don't like the
idea of 'making him pay' as the coast guard captain wants. I only want justice
with fair consideration. This is certainly not a case I'd envy having to rule
on.